Loren Von Kierstein

Race: Human-like Warforged

Class: Chonurgy* Wizard / Battlesmith Artificer

Voiced by: Hunter

*Chronurgy subclass with added features to suit our specific podcast and adventure

Making a name for himself as a prospective innovative genius, he was allowed to study and experiment on the university island of The Decanter in the Southern reaches of the central empire, quickly becoming adept not only at artificer's crafts, but dabbling in the arcane arts as well. His prowess within the field of mechanists earned him a spot in very select crowds, many being within the palace-mount of Peak City. Over time, he became officially recognized and given the title of sole clockworkmen provider to the emperor's palace, being the best in the business. Life for him, his wife and son were very comfortable, until the Dreamquake ripped through Lyberencia, destroying buildings and magically enslaving many to an unknown master. 

Loren awoke to find himself alone on the opposite side of the city. Lucid and concerned for his family, the last memory being of the ground rumbling, he tore across the city to his shop, finding it empty and boarded up, and not recently abandoned. Panicked, he questioned the nearest person, asking about his family, only to discover it had been 5 years since the Dreamquake and nobody remembered him or his family. The shop's faded sign was proof they existed, but his new daily motivation was to reunite with his wife and child. 

He then discovered his own transformation: He was fused with the clockwork man he was working on when he blacked out. Instead of the human he knew himself to be, there were gears and sprockets revealing him as a warforged of sorts. 

In his search, he only knew they headed West toward Heroes Hold, so tracing their footsteps, he set out to look through the cataclysm-torn city. After a while with no leads, he settled down, never giving up that pursuit, but up a shop in the city with the same name as his previous shop in hopes his wife would find him. His locally rejected, misshapen misfit of an assistant, Rogi, was well suited for back-room work, but was shunned by all but Loren. Being an excellent and capable assistant, Rogi managed the shop when Loren left when the party was formed and the opportunity to find his family was more available. 

Then his metallic heart seized when, deep under the city and after finding the runestone of rest with the party, he discovered that the flickers terrorizing the Emerald Commonwealth were once people, twisted and transformed into writhing masses of whip-like tentacles reeking of acidic and kerosenish fumes. Then the tragedy was confirmed when the rest runestone was brought toward some curiously inactive flickers, separating the tentacles and showing the face of his son. Unable to fully remove his son without tearing him apart, Loren had to leave him, asleep or inert, in the ancient crypts of the city. 

After setting out to the Emerald Planes, guided again by the compass, they came across a large manor bearing the symbols of the giants and housing a cathedral dedicated to those entrusted with completing the collection of the runestones. Within the cathedral, in the ground forming a circle around a central pedestaled area, there was a phrase with circular divots and words etched into the stone itself.

"◯, dear ◯. May your ◯ bring imagination to all creatures, and may they find ◯ in your ◯ ◯."

The stone found in Heroes Hold socketed into the first divot, saying "Rest, dear ◯. ...."

Returning to the city of Hero's Hold, Loren discovers that Rogi has taken over his shop, he being away for over a year in Lyberencia, and has completely locked him out of the vast wealth he'd managed to accrue. Destitute, he can only remain with his party and hope that after all this flicker nightmarishness has been resolved, he'll have tracked down Rogi and returned his property. 

Helm of Many Strikes

Affixed to the forehead of this steel helm sits a red gem solidly embedded into the flourishes and plated exterior. While attuned to this helm, you may cast the Magic Missile spell once per long rest as a bonus action.

Half-Plate Armor of Deflection

AC: 15 + DEX modifier

While attuned to and wearing this armor, all ranged attacks against you have disadvantage.